Palisades High freshman Robbie Bellamy wasn’t quite feeling 100 percent, but he was good enough to capture his third doubles title of the season last Sunday, winning the USTA National Tennis Open in Irvine. Bellamy and partner Gage Brymer of Irvine were seeded No. 1 and played like it, beating duos from California, Nevada and Arizona. They lost just 12 games in five matches, even more impressive considering Bellamy was nursing bruised ribs and could barely hit a ball before the tournament. Earlier this year Bellamy won the Agassi Championships in Las Vegas with Abe Hewko of La Quinta. Two weeks ago he won the JP Yamasaki with Jake DeVries of Irvine. His latest victory could move him into the Top 10 in the nation for his age group. Bellamy’s recent success has come without his normal partner, fellow Palisadian Alex Giannini, who is back from a broken foot and will play with Bellamy this weekend at a tournament in Palm Springs. The pair is gearing up for the Copper Bowl in Tucson, Arizona, over Winter Break. Jake Sands, a fourth-grader at Palisades Elementary, reached the finals of the Rancho Cienega Tennis Shop Junior Open last Sunday. The 9-year-old upset No.2-seeded Christian Settles, 7-5, 7-5, in the semifinals before falling to top-seeded Ryan Nuno in the finals.
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